Chen Qing listened to Shen Xiuyong’s heartfelt lament, his expression calm and unwavering.

’The Wutai Sect’s Earth’s Milk Eye has been coveted for a long time. Could it be that the recent unrest wasn’t baseless!?’

’But was actually a plot!?’

Chen Qing suppressed the thought. "I will remember your teachings, Martial Uncle. There’s no use in overthinking it. But speaking of your trip to the Fengle Prefecture auction, I imagine you had quite a haul?"

At the mention of the auction, Shen Xiuyong’s spirits lifted. He said excitedly, "Heh! Don’t even get me started! The place was on fire! This auction at Fengle Mansion had a ton of good stuff, and the bidding was fierce. Even a few Astral Force masters, who are usually impossible to find, made an appearance. Their auras... you could feel the pressure from a mile away, it was suffocating!"

He gestured wildly. "The Profound Iron Box I had my eye on was in perfect condition and had a mysterious origin. The competition was absolutely brutal! The price kept soaring. In the end, I had to grit my teeth and spend nineteen thousand taels of silver just to barely snag it!"

A pained look crossed Shen Xiuyong’s face as he mentioned the price.

"Oh? Nineteen thousand taels?" Chen Qing asked, feigning the perfect amount of curiosity. "What was in the box? Was it the Astral Condensing Pill you’ve been hoping for, Martial Uncle?"

Shen Xiuyong shook his head, but he didn’t look too disappointed. "An Astral Condensing Pill isn’t that easy to come by. It turned out to be a piece of Mine Purple Flame Iron, about the size of a person’s head!"

"Purple Flame Iron?" Chen Qing’s interest was piqued.

"That’s right!"

A glint flashed in Shen Xiuyong’s eyes. "This is the perfect core material for forging a top-grade Treasure Artifact weapon! What’s even rarer is that the Fire Element Power within this Purple Flame Iron is a perfect match for the Li Huo True Qi attribute I cultivate! If I can just find a few other supplementary materials and convince a master smith to work on it, I’m confident I can have a Top-Grade Treasure Artifact weapon forged just for me!"

He clenched his fist tightly, clearly extremely pleased with his acquisition.

A Top-Grade Treasure Artifact!

Chen Qing was inwardly shaken when he heard this, a trace of envy even bubbling up.

He wore the Azure Wave Profound Flood Dragon Armor against his skin, so he knew just how astonishing the defensive boost from a single Top-Grade Treasure Artifact could be.

A well-suited Top-Grade Attack Treasure would provide an immeasurable boost to one’s power.

If Shen Xiuyong succeeded, his combat prowess would surely leap to another level.

"Congratulations, Martial Uncle! When the Treasure Artifact is forged, it will surely be magnificent!" Chen Qing congratulated him sincerely.

Shen Xiuyong laughed heartily, clearly in high spirits. "I’ll take that as a good omen! This material truly is a rare find."

An idea struck Chen Qing. He cupped his fist toward Shen Xiuyong and said, "I’ve made some progress in my cultivation recently, but training in isolation can only get one so far. Since you’re in such high spirits today, Martial Uncle, I’d like to be so bold as to request your guidance. It would be a great opportunity for me to witness the marvels of the Embracing Pill Power Perfection Realm!"

Now that he had opened all Eight Orthodox Meridians, he wanted to see for himself how far he was from Embracing Pill Power Perfection.

Shen Xiuyong’s eyes flashed when he heard this. "Oh? A perfect chance to stretch my muscles! Come on, then! We’ll keep it friendly."

The two walked to the center of the small courtyard, stopping about three zhang apart.

A cool breeze swept past, swirling a few fallen leaves into the air. The atmosphere instantly grew tense and heavy with anticipation.

"Nephew Chen, be careful!"

Shen Xiuyong let out a low shout and stopped holding back.

The aura around him suddenly soared as a surging torrent of Li Huo True Qi, like volcanic magma, erupted from his body!

He seemed to transform into a miniature sun, his presence overwhelming.

The majestic True Qi of the Embracing Pill Power Perfection Realm was on full display, far surpassing that of an ordinary Late Stage cultivator.

Shen Xiuyong didn’t draw his saber. Instead, he formed a blade with his fingers and slashed through the air!

"FWOOSH—!"

A crimson blade of Saber Qi, so condensed it looked solid, shot from his hand. It tore through the air, slashing toward Chen Qing with incredible speed!

Though it was just an attack with his fingers, it already contained the essence of his Tribulation Flame Sky-Splitting Saber technique—fast, potent, and carrying an astonishingly corrosive, burning power.

Facing this probing strike from an Embracing Pill Perfection expert, Chen Qing pushed the Cyan Wood Eternal Spring Technique within him to its absolute limit.

Pure, majestic Cyan Wood True Qi surged forth, instantly forming a thick shield of Protective True Qi in front of him. It was vibrant with life yet incredibly resilient.

"BOOM!"

The crimson Saber Qi slammed viciously into the Protective True Qi, letting out a deep, thunderous boom.

The shield shuddered violently, its surface rippling wildly. A SIZZLING sound came from the point of impact as the Cyan Wood True Qi was continuously melted away by the Li Fire Power.

The hard ground beneath Chen Qing’s feet let out a CRACK, and spiderweb-like fissures spread out from where he stood.

His body swayed, and he had to take half a step back to dissipate the immense force. He was inwardly alarmed. ’The True Qi of an Embracing Pill Perfection master is truly powerful and domineering!’

’The quality is extremely high, too. The searing heat and Penetration Power of the Li Fire are on full display!’

"Good! Take another one!"

The glint in Shen Xiuyong’s eyes intensified. He was quite surprised that Chen Qing had taken his blow so easily.

His figure blurred as he executed a profound Step Technique, closing the distance in an instant. His palms, glowing crimson like Fire Jade, unleashed a sky-full of searing palm shadows that rained down like a volcanic eruption, covering all of Chen Qing’s vital points!

The air crackled and popped where his palms passed, sending out waves of scorching heat.

This time, Chen Qing refused to remain on the defensive.

With a low shout, the Cloud-Coiling Spear appeared in his hand. He gave the spear a shake, and as Cyan Wood True Qi poured into it, the weapon let out a clear, sonorous dragon’s cry.

A forest of spear-afterimages appeared, forming the illusion of an unbroken range of verdant mountains—steady and solid—to meet the sky full of fiery palms.

"BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!"

A dense, rain-like torrent of collisions exploded in the small courtyard!

As spear and palm clashed, Strong Qi erupted in all directions.

The vitality and resilience of the Cyan Wood continuously neutralized the ferocity and corrosion of the Li Fire.

Chen Qing’s Spear Technique was fluid and masterful, his defense impenetrable. The occasional counter-thrust was cunning and swift, carrying a sharpness that could pierce mountains, forcing even Shen Xiuyong to retract his palms to block.

Within the space of a few breaths, the two had already exchanged more than ten moves.